Current knowledge and conservation perspectives of Boswellia dalzielii Hutch., an African frankincense tree

Abstract

Boswellia dalzielii Hutch. is a valuable West African native frankincense tree species. The stem bark has a high traditional medicinal value throughout its range. The resin has great economic potential even though it is little exploited in West Africa, making it one of the neglected and underutilized species. Current anthropogenic pressure on natural habitats coupled with climate change are serious threats to the species. As such, gathering and synthesizing existing information on the species are necessary for its sustainable management. Thus, this study aims to synthesize existing knowledge on B. dalzielii and to identify priorities for future research. Articles were searched in Google Scholar, Web of Science, Scopus, and Open-Thesis. One hundred and eight (108) publications were recorded and analyzed. Results showed that more than half (51%) of the studies were conducted in the last four years (2017–2020). The majority (57%) of the studies focused on medicinal properties and 20% specifically on phytochemistry, with a wide variety of therapeutic properties and traditional medicinal uses identified. The species is widely distributed throughout sub-Sahel and Sudanian regions of Africa, typically occurring in low-density stands with populations concentrated in Burkina Faso, Cameroon, and Nigeria. However, natural regeneration is often limited, with poor seed fertility and reduced seedling recruitment in stands. Given the socioeconomic value and regeneration concerns, research is urgently needed on the species population biology and ecology, its population genetics, effective propagation methods, and sustainable resin harvesting practices and management.